The research team, led by professors Choi Nam-Soon and Hong Seungbum, created a new electrolyte solvent called isobutyronitrile (isoBN) that maximizes lithium ion movement within batteries. (Image courtesy of KAIST)
DAEJEON, March 18 (Korea Bizwire) — Scientists at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) have developed a novel electrolyte solvent that could cut electric vehicle charging times in half while extending battery life, potentially marking a significant advancement in lithium-ion battery technology.
The research team, led by professors Choi Nam-Soon and Hong Seungbum, created a new electrolyte solvent called isobutyronitrile (isoBN) that maximizes lithium ion movement within batteries. Their findings were published in Advanced Materials on March 11.
The breakthrough addresses a persistent challenge in current lithium-ion batteries, which power everything from smartphones to electric vehicles. Traditional electrolyte solvents, particularly ethylene carbonate (EC), have high viscosity and strong solvation characteristics — meaning solvent molecules tend to move along with lithium ions — which impede rapid charging.
“We’ve developed an electrolyte system that could revolutionize charging times for lithium-ion batteries,” said Choi. “This technology could have wide-ranging applications, from electric vehicles to energy storage systems, drones, and aerospace industries.”
The new electrolyte system reduces viscosity by 55% compared to conventional EC-based electrolytes while increasing ionic conductivity by 54%. In practical terms, this means charging times could be reduced from 30 minutes to 15 minutes.
Crucially, the researchers found that batteries using the new electrolyte maintained 94.2% of their lithium capacity after 300 charge-discharge cycles, without the problematic lithium plating that can shorten battery life and increase fire risks. Lithium plating occurs when lithium ions accumulate on the surface of the graphite anode instead of properly inserting into its layered structure.
The team achieved these improvements by designing isoBN to form weaker bonds with lithium ions, optimizing both the solvation structure and the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) — a crucial protective layer that forms on the battery’s negative electrode during initial charging.
In a first for the field, the researchers also successfully visualized how different electrolyte compositions affect lithium ion conductivity using electrochemical strain microscopy, a mode of atomic force microscopy.
Kevin Lee (kevinlee@koreabizwire.com)
